Samuel rowland



(No Mod L) S. ROWLAND.

ROPE SECURING DEVICE. I No.369,0'79. Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

-6M Maw Q 6 m 'M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL ROWLAND, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To E. c. COOK & BROTHER, or SAME PLACE.

ROPE-SECURING DEVlCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,079, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed April 28, 1587. Serial No. 236,532. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL ROWLAND, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope-Securing Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel securing device in the nature ofa metal clamp holding the end of a rope, so as to avoid the necessity of tying or splicing'in cases where it is desired to attach a rope to another object, to another rope, or to itself to form a loop.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the ap-' pended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a view of my ropesecuring device, showing the end of a rope engaged therewith. Fig. 2 is a face view of the samewith the rope removed therefrom. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same, taken upon line 0000 of Fig. 2, the rope being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken upon line'g yof Fig. 2. Fig. 5is aview illustrating a modified form of the securing device for the end of a rope.

As shown in the said drawings, A indicates a metal plate or casting forming the main part or body of my securing device, said plate or casting being provided with three holes, B, B, and O. The hole 0 is made of such size that the doubled part of the rope may be inserted through it, or, in other words, it is made as long or somewhat longer than twice the diameter of the rope in connection with which the fastening device is used. The holes B B may be made of any desired size; but preferably they are made just large enough to receive the rope and fit tightly about the latter. Said holes B, B, and 0 maybe disposed in the plate relatively to each other in a number of different ways; but Ihaveherein shown them in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as placed in alignment with each other, and with the larger hole, 0, between the holes Band B. The hole 0 is preferably made somewhat wider than the holes B B, and is desirably provided with an inclined or oblique side wall or walls, as 0, Figs. 1, 2, and 4. g

A rope is fastened toor engaged with the securing device made as above set forth by inserting its end first through one and then through the other of the holes B B, drawing a part of the rope which lies between the said holes B B through the hole 0, so as to form a loop, and then passing the end of the rope through the said loop, so that when the parts of the rope engaged with the fastening device are drawn taut the end of the rope will be clamped and held against the plate or casting A by the said loop.

The position of the rope is more clearly shown in Fig. 1, in which D is the rope; d, the loop thereof, which is drawn through the hole 0, and d the ,end part of the rope placed beneath and engaged by the said loop d. In Fig. 3 the course of the rope is shown in dotted lines.

The general results of clamping and holding the rope in the manner described may be obtained by the device, in which the hole Gis only wide enough for the passage of the loop d through it, in'which case the end at of the rope engaged with the saidloop will restupon or. against the adjacent fiat surface of the plate A. I prefer, however, to make the hole G somewhat wider than the diameter of therope, so that the loop and the end portion of the rope engaged by the same will be drawn partially into the said hole 0, and thus clamp or bind said end portion of the rope between opposite sides of the hole.

The hole 0 will of course be made of such narrow width as to prevent the engaged part of the loop and rope end from being drawn therethrough. The construction in which the hole 0 is wider than the rope has the additional advantage that it enables the central loop, (I, to be brought down more nearly level with the surface of the plate, and thus gives a neater and more compact appearance to the fastening device when the rope is secured therein.

When the hole 0 is provided with an inclined wall, a, the parts d d of the rope located within the said hole Gare more firmly clamped or forced together and the attachment of the rope thereby rendered more secure. It will of course be understood in this connection that either one or both sides of the hole 0 may be inclined or beveled in the manner described.

It is not essential that the holes B, B, and 0 should be arranged in alignment with each other in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and I have illustrated in Fig. 5 a form of securing device consisting of a plate, A, having a hole, 0, the longer axis of which is placed at right angles to a line passing through the holes B and B. In this instance the rope D passes through the holes B and B, and is provided with a loop, (I, inserted through the hole 0 and engaging the ends (1 of the rope in the same manner as before described. In this case,however, the parts of the rope extending between the holes B and B and the central hole or slot, 0, are inclined or obliquely directed, as indicated in dotted lines. I have shown the hole 0 (illustrated in Fig. 5) as provided with inelined or oblique faces 0 c at both sides thereof. The plate A (shown in Fig. 5) is provided with an integral eye, A, by which it may be connected with any object with which it is desired to connect the rope.

The rope-securing device shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 is provided at one side with three oppositely-directed spurs or prongs, E E E, adapted for engagement with opposite sides of a rope, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. These prongs are provided with curved inner faces a c, Fig. 4, arranged to engage the rope, and the prongs are so located as to bend or flex the rope in a zigzag line when it is inter" twined with them and to thus hold the rope from slipping upon the prongs when the rope is subjected to strain.

I have shown the securing device for the end of a rope as provided with three prongs, E E E; but it is entirely obvious that more than three such prongs may be employed, if found desirable or necessary, to aiiord greater frietional resistance to the movement of the rope upon or through the prongs. A plate or casting adapted for attachment at one end ofa rope and provided with prongs or spurs adapted to engage the rope in the manner described is obviously of great convenience in cases where it is desired to form aloop at the end of the rope in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1,such prongs obviously allowing the loop to beincreased or decreased in size by slacking the rope and shifting it in the prongs.

One convenient use of a device of this kind which may be suggested is that of attaching a hammock-rope to a post or support by placing the loop about such post or support.

As far as the operation of the securing device for the middle part of the rope provided with prongs in the manner described is concerned, such device may be employed in connection with other means for holding the end of the rope than the particular one shownas, for instance, the said prongs may be attached to a plate or casting having a single eye, in which the end of the rope may be tied or otherwise secured. I have therefore herein claimed a holding or fastening device for the middle part of a rope, embracing spurs or prongs arranged as described and shown, without restriction to the particular means used for securing the end of the rope thereto.

The casting A, having holes B, B, and C, and also provided with prongs E E E, affords, however, a very simple and convenient device for securing the end of a rope, and at the same time forming an adjustable loop therein, and such fastening device is therefore herein specifically claimed as a novel article.

I claim as my invention 1. As an improved means of securing the end of a rope to another object or rope, a metal plate or casting provided with means for attaching it to such other object or rope and having three holes, one of which is oblong in shape and of sufficient size to receive the doubled strand of a rope or cord, in combination with a rope or cord threaded through two of the said holes and having a loop or double part inserted through the oblong hole and its end placed within the said doubled part or loop and between the latter and the plate, substantially as described.

2. An article for the purpose set forth, consisting of a plate or casting provided with means for attaching it to another object or a rope and having three holes, one of which is oblong and of sufficient size to receive a doubled rope, said oblong hole being provided with an inclined or beveled inner wall or surface at one or both of its longer sides, substantially as described.

3. An article for the purpose set forth, consisting of a plate or casting provided with one or more holes in which the end of a rope may be inserted and secured, and provided also at one side of its edges with a plurality of laterally-curved spurs or hooks. located side by side,with their points oppositely directed, to enable a rope to be intertwined or interlocked therewith, substantially as described.

1. An article for the purpose set forth, consisting of a plate or casting provided with three holes, one of which is oblong and of sul'ticient size to receive a doubled rope or cord, said casting being provided at one of its sides with laterally-curved and oppositely-directed spurs or hooks, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL ROWLAND.

Witnesses:

G. Orannncn PooLn, CHARLES T. LORING. 

